Improvement in bottle and box-openers



GEORGEJAY HILL, Imprbvement in Bottle and Box 0peners.-

N0 H8453. PatentedAug."29,18 7i.

QAWWW. i I -1 UNITED STATES PATENT rrIoE.

GEORGE JAY HILL, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND CHARLES FREDERICK NAGEL, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN BOTTLE AND BOX-OPENERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 118,453, dated August 29, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE J AY HILL, of Butfalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Opening Bottles, Cigar and Sardine-Boxes, 850., of which the following is a specification This invention consists in combining in one implement a corkscrew with a fork to hold the neck of the bottle, at the same time having a hook to pull off and a knife to cut the wires of corks, and in a device attached to the end of the handle for opening cigar and sardine-boxes, &c., and, furthermore, in a hammer-head forming part of the handle, as hereinafter fully described.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is a plan.

A is the handle, having the rod B which extends out in line with the handle, having a forked end, 0, which is to fit around the neck of a bottle, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. On each side of the rod B I form flanges D D, which serve as a receptacle for a piece, a, the end of which is formed into a hook, to, for pulling off the wire of pop and similar bottles; also, having attached a jointed hook-shaped knife, b, for cutting the wires or cords which confine the corks of bottles, 850. This hook, with the jointed knife, is raised up by a rivet, c, which passes through the shank and the sides of the flanges D D. When standing up in position for use it is held in place by a spring, d, or its equivalent, the bottom being provided with a lug, g, to prevent its going too far forward. The knife I) is jointed at e, which enables it to reach over and catch the wire on champagne and similar bottles, for which it is more particularly intended, and when not in use it folds down into a slot, 0, in the shank n, as shown in dotted lines in Fig.1. By simply pressing down on the handle the wire is cut. The hook it is intended more especially for pulling off the wire or bent clasps from such bottles as have them for permanent use. E is a cork-screw secured in a slot, 6, in the handle A by a rivet, j, and spring k, and when not in use may be doubled back into the handle. G is a blade or instrument for opening cigar and other light boxes; and consists in a thin piece of metal secured in the end of the handle A by a rivet and spring similar to a knifeblade, to enable it to be shut down into the handle, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2; or it maybe made to slide in a slot in the handle back out of the way The edges are chamfered off to enable it to be easily inserted between the joints of the boxes. It is also provided with a claw, f, to pull out small nails. A small hammerhead or metal projection, H, is attached to or may form a part of the handle A to drive in the nails of cigarboxes, 850. The blade G is intended to serve another important purpose, viz., to open sardine-boxes, which is done by making an incision in the box with the blade G, the projection of the end of the handle resting on the box and acting as a fulcrum while the blade G is pushed forward.

The advantages of my construction are that it combines in one handle all necessary tools that have a certain relation to each other in general use.

The main part, consisting of the handle, rod, fork, hammer, and flanges or guards, will be cast in one piece. The knife and hook can be made in two pieces if desired, and the cutting part of the knife jointed, as now, with two springs in stead of one.

I disclaim the mere combination of the recessed cork-screw in the handle and a bifurcated fork with a hook working in a slot in the rod of the fork.

What I claim is- 1. The combination and arrangement of the whole device, consisting of the handle A with recess i, cork-screw E, opening-knife G with claw f, hammer-head H, forked rod B, flanges D D, piece at with hook to, and jointed cutter b, operatin g in the manner and for the purpose specified.

2. The piece a with hook a, jointed cutter b, spring at, and flanges D D, in combination with the forked rod B C, handle A, and cork-screw E, arranged in the manner and for the purpose specifled.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. Witnesses: GEO. J. HILL.

J. B. DRAKE, O. H. WOODWARD. 

